Yeah...I did miss that. I like the idea of a screw plug. I didn't take a look at my 45 trans already in my bobber frmae yet but I think...key word think... The outer third stud would be the route to go, if hold down strength is an issue. The third stud location isn't the best location for drainage, in my opinion, but the third stud did not even exist on pre 41 45 trannies. I believe the third stud may have been added, to help prevent the trans from twisting, out of primary alignment, not as an actual hold down fastener. But then again, I really think todays materials and tempering ways would be suitable for any stud, one wanted to replace, with a drain style stud. Since my bobber sits and waits for me, longer than my WLA, I am going to make me a drain style plug for it. Pa

Just looked up and under my bobber frame. Any three of the studs will work, as far as access goes. The third stud would make a better candidate for the drain plug, if running a three speed only trans. If running a new 4 speed, or a trans with a reverse gear, then one of the other two studs would make a good location for the drain plug. The third stud is the lowest point in the gearbox. Pa

Back to the build....Single photo below. While awaiting some spare time to come my way, for continuing this trans build, I decided to install the three [ 2318-26 ] frame mounting studs. I coated the studs in Permatex silicone sealer before installing them. The sealer is an added leak protector. The key to good stud installation is again, prep work. Clean threads ! All three studs have flats milled onto them. These flats must align with the slots in the mounting areas of the frame. If, while you are installing the studs, the flats will not align, without using excessive force, beyond when they bottom out, back them off to align them. This looseness will not interfere with the function of the studs. The silicone sealer will keep them in place, securely enough for assembly to the frame. The sealer, since it is flexible, will maintain a good seal as well. The milled flats on the studs, will prevent the studs from rotating in the frame, when they are locked down, after primary chain adjustment is set.

I agree that the odd 3rd stud is the best candidate for use as a drain. As you mentioned it is drilled through to the lowest spot in the case and will work fine as long as you don't have a reverse idler gear mounted on its shaft. Scoot's idea for threading the bored hole and installing an allen set scew as a plug will allow you to use the original stud. Making a longer stud would be difficult, it would require a bunch of maching operations because of the "collar" on the original stud with the machined flats, it is a larger diameter than the stud itself. I don't think that drilling a hole through the stud will compromise the strength enough to damage anything.

I never understood why every one of those cases came from the factory with the reverse idler gear shaft already installed, it certainly could not have been cost effective to do that. The only explanation I could come up with is that it acts as a dowel and may provide some added structural stability when mounting the cover, just a guess.

I believe that idler gear shaft does eactly what you suggested. It dowels and supports. Scoots plug idea is great. I think a pipe tapered plug would be most suitable. It would prevent loosening up of the drain plug. That could be catatropic, if it did come loose. It would also expand the stud beyond the hold down nut. I'm afraid though, using an existing oem stud, the stud may be split from the pipe tapered threaded plug. A taper acts as a wedge. Modern materials would be more suitable in preventing this. Say for instance, 4140 steel. Making one would take little time. Turn the ends, chase the threads. mill the flats. One hour tops, conventionally machined. Use of a magnetic plug would trap more debri.

PA,Something I forgot to mention in my last post, the case has a sump between the two in-line studs, sort of a "sediment bowl". If a drain was created below the reverse idler well I wonder if it would pay to fill that sump with something to make the upper floor of the case level so that everything would run down to the lower hole.

I considered that little pocket also. My conclusion was to leave it fill up with the mud created from breaking in. I'm a bit skeptical with filling it before hand. A good jar or pothole may break the filler loose and send it throughout the gearbox components. The mud I spoke of packs up pretty solid. Kind of like the grey material found so often in larger automotive engine intake manifolds. It doesn't loosen on it own. Pa

The drain stud idea is not new. It was produced and marketed and possibly still is available. I cannot remember the manufacturer. It was a US based company and I thought possibly it was the people that came up with the big fix rollers.I'm reasonably certain that the link and a discussion was provided from this exact site some years ago. Alot of our history has been lost on more than one occasion and a search would no doubt prove fruitless.Couldn't find it with a quick Googling.Pa, Haven't checked in in a while and I hate ta keep harping on one aspect of the build but how will you now line ream the race in the side cover with your clutch gear and seal installed?

45 transmissions need no line reaming. Big Twins do. Both the mainshaft and the countershaft are supported in bushings on one end, in a 45 tranny. The side cover is not even doweled. There are basic alignment points on the cover but those points are not consistant. 45 tranny cases are not match marked with the side covers, unlike the engine cases are. There is great forgiveness in the 45 tranny tolerances. Pa

Prepping for mainshaft endplay adjustment.... Mic the mainshaft bearing journal end which goes through the 2260-41 side cover. Record the measurement. Mic the 2290-33 roller bearing race which is pressed into the side cover. Record that measurement. Subtract the mainshaft bearing journal measurement from the side cover roller bearing race measurement. Subtract the clearance needed [ .0006” - .0008” ] from that number. Divide that number by 2. This number will be the size 2306-32 bearing roller needed, for correct clearance of the mainshaft to the side cover roller bearing race. Select the correct bearing rollers and set them aside. I obtained .0007" on this mainshaft roller bearing to race fit.NOTE: When selecting bearing rollers, mic every single one of them. It is not uncommon to find variations in sizes, even from unopened packages. One single improper sized bearing roller, mixed in with the rest of the rollers you have selected, will quickly destroy, all of the time, work and effort, you put into your transmission build ! Not to mention the cost of other damaged components from it.

Next...install the 2346-33A and the 2346-33B side cover case studs.

Now we can adjust the 2272-41 mainshaft endplay. Before we continue, I want to stress how important it is, not to have any of the clutch pushrod oil seal parts, installed in the clutch gear. Those parts will interfere with obtaining correct mainshaft endplay. It is also very important to have followed the early mentioned instruction of deburring mating surfaces and having clean threads and holes, along with checking fasteners and studs to both those threads and holes. Continuing... Select the .078" thick mainshaft spacer from the 2516-41A mainshaft spacer set. This is the thinnest spacer in the set. This spacer will guarantee endplay for the mainshaft., assuming all parts passed inspection specifications. Assemble the spacer to the clutch gear end of the mainshaft, sliding it all the way up to the smaller splined diameters shoulder. Make certain the spacer will actually seat against that shoulder. If it will not seat against that shoulder, find out why and correct it. Next....slide the 2293-33 thrust washer onto the cover end of the mainshaft, until it is seated against the large splined diameter of the mainshaft. Make sure it will seat against the shoulder, or find out why it will not and correct it. Now slide the 2296-33A spacing collar onto the same end of the mainshaft. Small end on first. Flanged end facing out. Next insert the mainshaft, and parts now assembled onto it, into the clutch gear bushing, until the assembly seats completely against the clutch gear. Install the 2262-41 side cover gasket, then the 2260-41 side cover. Take caution with the side cover gasket, while guiding the side cover onto the case studs so as not to tear the gasket or bind the cover. Once side cover is about an 1/8” away from the trans case face, inspected gasket once more. Also, installed the five 047 screws and the other two 2346 studs. This will insure all fasteners have been inserted into each gasket hole provided for them. At this point, if side cover will not go the rest of the way on easily, gently tap it on using a soft mallet, using a staggering type method on your tapping positions. It should go on then. If it don’t find out why and correct it. Once the cover is on, tighten up all fasteners, just as if you were finished with the assembly. I use washers and spacers on the two 2346-33 studs to take up the length of the studs. Stagger the tightening sequence also. Once you are sure the cover is on good and solid, begin inserting the side cover 2306-32 mainshaft bearing rollers. With the trans case positioned with the 2318-26 mounting studs facing down, insert each roller into the upper side of the mainshaft and race. The mainshaft will be sagged slightly there, and insertion of the rollers will go easily. After several of the bearing rollers have been inserted, it will become difficult to insert anymore of them, unless you rotate the mainshaft forward and backward, so that the rollers all travel to the underside of the mainshaft. Once you get the rollers in the position, finish inserting the rest of the rollers up above again. I use tweezers for the roller installation. I do not use lube for mainshaft endplay adjustment. Many service manuals say to but I believe the lube will interfere with correct mainshaft endplay adjustment. I now turn the tranny over, so that the mounting studs are facing up. Now we can check the current mainshaft endplay clearance. Before we do this though, we need to make certain the clutch gear it still seated against the clutch gear thrust bearing, and the mainshaft, is still seated against the clutch gear. Once this is verified, I mount a dial indicator to the gearbox housing and set the dial indicator plunger on the end of the mainshaft. Now that the dial indicator is set, I grasp the the threads of the mainshaft, using two hands, one finger per hand, finger nails in threads, and pull out on the mainshaft. The dial indicator reads the movement. I record it. I repeat this several times, making certain the travel of the mainshaft repeats it’s self on my dial indicator. This whole procedure was to obtain an actual number to work with. We already know what 2516-41A mainshaft spacer we presently have on the mainshaft. Correct mainshaft endplay is .003” - .005”. If we have already obtained this reading. We are good to go. If not, whatever the dial indicator read, we add to the .078” spacer, which is presently installed, and subtract the .003” - .005” clearance. That sum will be the spacer thickness we need for correct mainshaft endplay, of this particular 45 tranny. Next....we disassemble in reverse order of assembly. Remove all of the bearing rollers, then the fasteners. Next the side cover, making certain the gasket does not hang up and tear as the side cover is removed. If side cover does not slip off easily, tapping around the gasket side of the cover edge will push it along. Remove the mainshaft and the components assembled to it. Remove the 2516-41A .078” mainshaft spacer and replace that spacer with the correct spacer, determined by your indicator reading and calculations. Repeat the assembly sequence again. Recheck the mainshaft endplay with the dial indicator. Your mainshaft endplay should be correct now. I obtained .0035" mainshaft endplay, on this tranny. Repeat the disassembly sequence. Set mainshaft and assembled components, along with the bearing rollers of to the side.

Next procedure will be the 2295-41 second gear to the 2299-41 second gear retaining bracket, clearance adjustment.

Assemble onto the clutch gear end of the mainshaft, the 2294-41B low gear thrust washer. Make sure it will seat against the shoulder of the large splined diameter of the mainshaft. Now assemble the 2294-41 first [ low ] gear. Flat face of first gear faces towards clutch gear. The other first gear face has a counter bore in it. This counter bore holds the 2294-41B low gear thrust washer on center. Make certain the thrust washer seats completely into the counter bore of the low gear. Next.....choose the .040" thick washer form the 2294-41C washer set. Fit this washer into the counter bored face of the 2295-41 second gear. Slide both parts onto the mainshaft and up against the 2294-41 first gear. Reassembly your chosen 2516-41A mainshaft endplay spacer. On the side cover end of the mainshaft, reassemble 2292-33 thrust washer and the 2296-33A spacing collar. Re assembly mainshaft into the clutch gear bushing as before. Install side cover gasket, side cover, fasteners, and bearing rollers, again...as before. When adjusting the second gear to second gear retaining bracket clearance, we do not want the mainshaft endplay clearance to interfere. To prevent such interference, pull end of mainshaft [ side cover end ] away from clutch gear. Make sure the low gear thrust washer, low gear, low and second gear spacer, and second gear are slid towards the side cover end of the transmission also. Now we can check the existing clearance between the second gear teeth face and the second gear retaining bracket. Using a blade [ often called leaf ] type feeler gauge, slip a less than minimum clearance wide feeler gauge leaf in between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket. Slide the feeler blade around the full radius of the face of the second gear retaining brackets face. We do this because second gear retaining bracket faces are not exactly parallel to the second gears teetn face. We need to find the tightest are for a correct measurement. Continue changing feeler gauge leaves to thicker sizes, until you find the one size which will just slip through the tightest area. Record that feeler gauge width dimension.

Now disassemble the transmission as you have so many times before. If while checking the clearance between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket, provided a correct clearance tolerance, this part of the build if completed. If not.... we must now remove the second gear, second and low and the 2294-41C second gear spacer washer. Since we know we had used the .040" second and low gear spacer washer to obtain and initial second gear to second gear retaining bracket clearance measurement, we now know which way we must proceed. If our initial second gear to second gear retaining bracket clearance measurement was less than the clearance we needed. We must resize the .040" low and second gear spacer to a smaller size of thickness. A shop with a Blanchard grinder can do this easily. If our measurement indicted we obtained to much clearance, we must choose one of the thicker spacer washers from the 2294-41C spacer washer set. If the closet spacer washer thickness to the size we need is to thick, we must resize it. I obtained a .007" clearance between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket, using only the factory sized low and second gear spacing washers.

It is critical to keep in mind our mainshaft endplay clearance amount. Since tolerances call for .003" to .005" on the mainshaft endplay adjustment, and tolerances call for .005" to .007" clearance between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket, clearance adjustment of the second gear to the second gear retaining bracket, depends entirely on what clearance was obtained for mainshaft endplay. For instance....If you obtained a .003" mainshaft endplay clearance, a .005" second gear to second gear retaining bracket clearance, would actually allow .002" clearance, between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket, when mainshaft was shifted to the clutch gear side of transmission. This .002" clearance amount is built into the design of the 45 transmission. If you mainshaft endplay was .005", you need .007" between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket. If the mainshaft endplay was .005" and you settle for .005" between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket, there will be no clearance between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket, when the mainshaft shifts towards the clutch gear side of the gearbox. Since I obtained a mainshaft endplay of .0035", the .007" I obtained between the second gear and second gear retaining bracket, provides me with .0035" second gear to second gear retaining bracket clearance when the mainshaft is shifted towards the clutch gear side of the gearbox.

Before I go any further along with the build, I would like to address my favorite literary materials addressing the 1941-73.. 45 model. I've listed my favorites below, in the order of my preferences. I own many other parts books and service manuals. These are the ones I like and use the most. There are some errors in all of these books. Bruce Palmer has corrected the errors in his book, with a correction list. Bruces correction list is available all over the web. In his defence, he had the errors corrected, before the book was published, but the publisher did not make the changes before print. The other favorite books I use have never had their errors corrected. In the transmission section alone, all but the Motorcycle Mechanics Handbook, do not direct the transmission builder to install the mainshaft endplay spacer, when the second gear to second gear retainer clearance is to be set. I will try to remember to add other errors in these manuals at a later date.

actually paul i'm sure of it that the 3rd stud was added for the same reason they added the 5th mounting in the same place in 37 on bt tranny's to give support to the trans when you were kicking it over a triangle is a hell of alot stronger then 2 bolts inlineespecially when your putting your whole bodies weight out on the weak end kicking it threw

Continuing on with the build..... we now gather together the countershaft components, 2300-42 countershaft, 2303-41 cluster gear, the two 2305-39 right roller bearing end washers, 2305-33 left inner thrust washer, and the 2308-33 left outer thrust washer. Next step is to choose the size roller sets we will be using. Mic and record the countershaft roller bearing journals. Mic and record the roller bearing races on both ends of the countershaft. Do the same math for a .0006" to .0008" clearance calculation. Choose the correct size 2306-32 left side rollers and also the 2289-39 right side rollers.

This being accomplished, we will now assemble the rollers, countershaft, cluster gear, and thrust washers together. I lightly grease both cluster gear bearing races, the counter shaft roller bearing journals, and both faces of each thrust washer. Next I position the 2305-33 left inner thrust washer and the one 2305-39 right inner thrust washer, into their respective positions, inside the cluster gear roller bearing race journal, up against the bearing race shoulders. I then place the 2308-33 left outer thrust washer onto the countershaft, sliding it all the way back to the splined journal shoulder. Next... using tweezers, I now insert the correct rollers into both ends of the cluster gear. This procedure can be a little tricky. Take your time doing this because the least little jarring can cause the rollers to fall back out of their positions. Now I insert the countershaft into the cluster gear. Gentle handling is needed here also. I hold the cluster gear in a vertical position, small end facing downward. I then align the countershaft to the large end bearing rollers and carefully slip the countershaft through the first set of roller bearings, and continue sliding the countershaft on through the next set of roller bearing at the other end of the cluster gear. I then install the 2305-39 right outer roller thrust washer. Next , I set the assembly off to the side with components 2165-32 starter clutch gear, 2166-26 starter clutch spring, and the 2168-26 countershaft spring.

Preparing gearbox for countershaft installation...... The next step is to install the 2165-32 starter clutch gear and the 2166-26 starter clutch spring into the gearbox. Looking into the splined bore of the starter clutch gear, you will see there is one wide spline. I use this wide spline as an installation reference, by installing the starter clutch gear, with the wide spline facing up, in a vertical positon, once the starter clutch gear has been installed into the gearbox. Both the starter clutch gear and the starter clutch spring, are installed into the gearbox, at the same time. The starter clutch gear has two radius shaped legs on the one side, which engage in under the two 2172-26 tripper bolts. The starter clutch gear also has a pilot flange for the 2166-26 starter clutch spring to align to. The left side 2312-26 countershaft gearbox bushing, also has a pilot flange for the starter clutch spring to align to. Grasping the starter clutch gear in your hand, radius legs of the starter clutch gear facing away from your hand, install the starter clutch spring onto the starter clutch gear. Position the starter clutch gear in your hand with the wide spline of the starter clutch gear bore, vertical and at the top. Twist you hand counter clockwise, so that the radius legs of the starter clutch gear will miss the tripper bolt heads. Place the starter clutch gear and starter clutch spring into position, over the left case countershaft bushing. Compress the spring until the radius legs of the starter clutch gear make contact with the face of the left gearbox countershaft bushing. Now rotate the starter clutch gear clockwise, until the radius legs of the starter clutch gear slip in under the tripper bolt heads. Adjust splined bore of the starter clutch gear until the major diameter of the splined bore is in alignment with the left gearbox countershaft bushing, and....the wide spline is facing up, in a vertical position.

Now we can install the countershaft assembly...... Install the 2168-26 countershaft spring into the small bore on the left end of the countershaft.

Hold the countershaft assembly in you hand, so as not to allow the cluster gear to lose position against the shoulder on the countershaft. Position the wide spline of the countershaft as you positioned the wide spline of the starter clutch gear. Install the countershaft assembly into the starter clutch gear and left side countershaft bushing. This is a bit tricky also. The countershaft assembly will not enter the gearbox where the countershaft position is. You must start the entry near the mainshaft area first. Once the large diameter gear of the cluster gear, makes entry, you can shift the assembly, back into it's respective gearbox location, and continue installing it. Gently align the countershaft splined diameter to the starter clutch splined bore. This is why we positioned the wide splines where we did. It greatly helps in the installation of the countershaft assembly. Now....being extra careful while installing the countershaft assembly, completely through the starter clutch gear, and into the left gearbox countershaft bushing, Complete the countershaft assembly installation. DO NOT TURN THE COUNTERSHAFT !!!!!!Doing so, will disengage the starter clutch gear from the tripper bolt heads !!! You will then have to start all over again.You will notice the large gear teeth of the cluster gear do not fully mesh and engage with the clutch gear teeth. This is because the countershaft spring is preventing full engagement. Not to be concerned with though. Once the side cover is on, the countershaft spring will compress and the two will mesh together then.

We can now install the mainshaft assembly......

Place the 2298-41B low gear shifter clutch and the 2298-41 second and high gear shifter clutch into their respective positions, on the mainshaft assembly. Align the mainshaft assembly to the gearbox and carefully install it into the clutch gear, making sure the two shifter clutches are not engaged into the gears. You will need the two gears to move freely, so you can mesh gear teeth, to each other, as you fully install the assembly into the clutch gear. Both countershaft and mainshaft assemblies are installed into the gearbox. Now install the 2262-39 countershaft side cover seal washer onto the countershaft. Grease the washer all over.

Now we can install the gasket, side cover, mainshaft roller bearings, and 2291-33 right outer roller mainshaft thrust washer.

We will be using the previous procedures for installing the side cover but you will find it a bit more taxing as you install it, due to the resistance caused by the 2168-26 countershaft spring and the 2262-36 countershaft side cover seal washer. If you gradually tighten all fastens down, using a staggering sequence, buttoning up the side cover, will go smoothly.

Once you have the side cover completely tightened down, make sure the mainshaft , clutch gear, and cluster gear rotate ok. You will have slide the shifter clutches around , in order to check for free motion. The clutch gear will drag on the clutch gear oil seal some. Don't be concerned with that drag. Check for free movement of the countershaft. Using a wrench, on the squared end of the countershaft, turn countershaft counterclockwise, 180 degrees, until the slot cut into the square end of the countershaft is facing directly up in a vertical position. The starter clutch gear will disengage from the tripper bolt heads, engage into the cluster gear, and then re engage under the tripper bolt heads. The now present position of the countershaft, is where it will be, when the 2084-41 kicker spring and 2076-41A starter crank and pedal assembly, will be located, when transmission build is completed. Some resistance will be felt while you rotate the countershaft but to much is not good. Resistance must be less than the kicker spring strength is, or the countershaft will not return to it's correct position after kicking the transmission over, once final transmission build is completed, and all parts have been assembled.

The next segment will be the 2035-41 drive sprocket installation. I like to install the drive sprocket before I install the shifter drum and shifter forks. I do this because I can lock the trannsmission up, while the shifting clutches are at my disposal. Once the shifter drum and forks are installed, one can't utilize the gears as a locking tool. AND....the drive sprocket gear, along with the clutch gear, can be used as tools, when testing shifting positions, once the shifter drum, and shifter forks , are installed and set.

I very lightly grease the tapered journal of the mainshaft and the keyway slots before I install the keys, and drive sprocket. Some do not, for fear of the drive sprocket may loosen. I've never had a loosening experience, over the many years I have been doing it this way. I grease these areas because drive sprockets wear out, and must be replaced from time to time. The very light film of grease prevents the drive sprocket, keys, and mainshaft from rusting together, like a fusion. I don't use never seize because the compond is much to dense and I want a good tight taper to taper fit. I also lightly grease the drive sprockets seal lip and the transmission side cover mainshaft roller bearing race seal surface, which the seal rides on.

Now I install the 2279-26 keys into their respective mainshaft keyway slots and the 2035-41 drive sprocket. I position the keys so they are slightly tilted downward on their leading edges, so that the drive sprocket gets a good start onto them during installation. The drive sprocket will not go on without a little persuasion, due to the drive sprockets seal lip. I utilize the 364-37 nut to push the drive sprocket seal lip onto the transmission side cover mainshaft roller bearing race seal surface. Once the seal lip has been positioned properly, I remove the nut and install the 2278-26 lock washer, inserting the lock washers small tab into one of the keyway slots and install the nut. I lock the gears down with the shifter clutches and tighten down the nut. I do not bend any of the three lock washer tabs at this time. If anything is not right when I finish this build, I won't have to unbend a tab to open the gearbox back up again. I will bend a tab before I install the 2345-41 sprocket cover.

Now we get to tear it down a few more times We don;t have to remove the side cover..I hope , but we do need to install and uninstall the shifter fork and shifter drum assemblies, maybe several times yet, except for a few components. Below is the parts we will start with, in regards to the shifter assembly. I'll post the shifter drum parts next, before we begin the final....yep...final wla trans assembly. Pa

Still here folks.....I ran into one other delema though. I misplaced my nos wla starter arm spring stud. With out it, I won't be able to assemble the starter spring and sprocket cover. I will be posting the shifter fork adjusting sequence soon though. Pa